David Ayers Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Um, was in the specialist Early Music Shop and started to covet one. Resisted but... anybody play one? I'm guessing nobody would even attempt this who doesn't already play a double reed instrument, which I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Actually, had occasion to play one back in the day. Some guy had one for reasons unknown, and we'd do free jams together. I'd use it for texture and basic melodic lines. The very rudimentary fingering system of the instrument made it easy to manipulate in that way. Certainly nothing compared to the oboe & bassoon families, both of which will make you curse life itself, at least initially. This, this was easy, once you figured out the double reed thing, which is really pretty intuitive once you realize that its two reeds you need to make vibrate, in sync, not just one, against a mouthpiece, no rials and chambers, just reeds. I started playing music at age10, using Tonette/Flutophone, and this was the same fingering system. Plus, hey, shawm, musette, Dewey Redman, it was cool, or seemed to be. I'd probably recoil in horror now at what I did then, but...no evidence survives! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted November 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 I had Dewey Redman in mind too. That and annoying the neighbors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Win-win, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 (edited) Philip Pickett - Everywhere from early music orchestras to the Globe Theatre and then Albion Band and Richard Thompson LPs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Pickett Edited November 5, 2014 by A Lark Ascending Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted November 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2014 Oh sure I know there's people play it. Here's a famous early revival. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5XZihrNu3io&client=mv-vf-uk&safesearch=always Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted November 6, 2014 Report Share Posted November 6, 2014 I only knew of delicious chicken shawm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 6, 2014 Report Share Posted November 6, 2014 That's the hungry right there, making me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonnymax Posted November 6, 2014 Report Share Posted November 6, 2014 I never played a shawm, but more than one person expressed the opinion that my playing was a sham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 6, 2014 Report Share Posted November 6, 2014 This guy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alankin Posted November 7, 2014 Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 7, 2014 Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 I love it when people wave! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted November 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 I suppose I was just wondering what tuning system they use.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonnymax Posted November 7, 2014 Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 I suppose I was just wondering what tuning system they use.... Okay, if you're going to get serious and on-topic about it. Here's a blog I found by this guy named Scott who made his own shawms, and he discusses in detail everything you might want to know, including tunings: Scott's Making Do Oh, and one more thing: It's SHAWM WOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 7, 2014 Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 It's a cylindrical bore, so the tuning will be based on the physics of that, like a recorder, flute, etc. I assume that's what you mean. And it'll be a C-instrument. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/conecyl.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted November 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 Well they are in different keys depending on type, but also wondering whether they build them A = 440 or what... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 7, 2014 Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 Different keys, like a harmonica, yes. But not a transposing instrument that I know of if/when it comes to writing parts. A=440, interesting question...especially about the original, older ones. Don't know, although I'd think that any one made in modern times would at least aim towards that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted November 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 I'm not sure but I get the impression that these only exist in reconstructions, that no older ones exist. Here's where you get them http://www.earlymusicshop.com/Browse.aspx/en-GB/store27_arrangement532/1/ As for transposing, no-one now would write for them and anything authentic you might play on a shawm would not be written in modern script, so I guess that transposing doesn't come into it. Enjoy browsing that store, which goes back decades and is one of the centres of the early music revival. Re. tuning system, these early music people are sticklers for all sorts of supposed authenticity, so who knows... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 7, 2014 Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 Scoring could become a factor for film/theater usage, etc. Could. Or if somebody wanted to compose something new for the instrument within some sort of ensemble, although the interest there would as likely be in the motivation as in the work itself. No idea about the survival of original instruments, but don't rule out the possibilities of what might be found in Middle/Far-Eastern environs, from which the Shawm might well take its ancestry. Even if nothing "old" is found, possible comparisons of "traditional" instruments still around might prove instructive or whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted November 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2014 Yes, origin of shawm is North Africa, I believe. From there, up into Spain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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